2 
swept by the enemy’s fire, cross a hardly fordable river, and then attack two 
tiers of heights, one above the other. 
The accounts hitherto received give very little detailed information as to the 
tactical formations employed on either side. The Congressists seem to have 
carried out their attacks by means of strong chains of skirmishers, supported by 
echelons in close formations. On the other hand, Barbosa seems to have made 
too much use of close-order formations, for which he had a marked preference. 
Another cause of the inferiority of the Balmacedists was their armament. One- 
third of the Congressists were armed with the “ Mannlicher ” 1 repeating rifle, 
which is reported to be a weapon of very superior quality, combining accuracy 
of fire with simplicity and strength of construction, in a manner which largely 
contributed to the confidence of the insurgents and to the demoralisation of the 
Balmacedists. 
The Balmacedists attributed 56 per cent, of their losses (instead of 33) to the 
fire of the Mannlicher rifle. Salvoes or skirmishing fire at ranges of from 1000 
to 1600 metres 2 completed swept the ground and stopped their advance. Accord¬ 
ing to the accounts of prisoners, fire directed at a range of 600 metres against the 
lines of skirmishers on the south of the Aconcagua sufficed, in consequence of 
the peculiar conformation of the ground, to carry disorder into reserves placed at 
from 1000 to 1600 metres in rear. The Balmacedists, who fought at Placilla 
about a week after this action, would not come within 1000 metres of the enemy; 
while, on the other hand, the insurgents acquired such a confidence in their arm 
that they would willingly have attacked a force very superior in numbers to 
themselves. 
The ease with which the arm is handled was sufficiently proved by the fact that 
recruits, after three days’ exercises and one or two practices on rests, made, at a 
range of 100 metres, a percentage of 28, 15, and 12 hits respectively, upon 
targets representing skirmishers standing, kneeling, and lying down. With the 
same targets at 200 metres, a percentage of 24, 13, and 9 hits was obtained, 
and at 500 metres, a percentage of 16, 9, and 5. The strength of construction 
was equally demonstrated. In spite of the inexperience of the recruits and the 
fact that each arm must have fired from 160 to 200 rounds in the affair of the 
21st August, not more than 7 or 8 per cent, of the rifles required repair : 3 or 4 
per cent, of these repairs were connected with the extractor, and a large propor¬ 
tion of the remainder with the elevator. 
Provision against accidents to the extractor had been made by distributing a 
reserve of one-eighth. The number to be replaced, however, never exceeded 4 or 
5 per cent. This operation was carried out very easily, and without any special 
instrument. The arm of the lever of the elevator was injured from the soldier 
having to use some force in loading in consequence of the chamber becoming 
dirty; the rifle, however, could still be used as a non-repeater. This was also 
the case when sand got into the lower part of the magazine, as sometimes hap¬ 
pened when the marksman fired lying down on the ground. 
The grease, with which the cartridges were formerly covered, had previously 
been done away with, as it was found to interfere with the working of the rifle. 
This occasioned an increase in the heating of the barrel; but the temperature 
hardly ever increased after the twentieth round, and, thanks to the wooden stock, 
the arm could be easily handled even after the hundredth round. 
The wounds caused by the “ Mannlicher” rifle are said to have been of ,a 
peculiar and humane character. Even at long ranges the bones and sinews were 
cleanly cut without tearing or leaving splinters of metal behind. Extracted 
bullets were found to be intact. 
1 This weapon seems to be the same as that in use in the Austrian Army.— J.BL.Gr.B. 
2 A metre is equal to 39 inches very nearly.— J.JS. Gr.B. 
